Display sign assemblies of the prior art include vertical members to which a display sign panel is attached by rivets, threaded connections, staples, nails, adhesives, and the like. The vertical members may be wooden stakes or metal posts which are driven into the ground by hammer or mallet, or by application of body weight against a post cross-brace or other transverse bar member. When a wooden stake is used, the stake must be suitably sized and shaped to carry the combined load of the display sign panel and stake assembly and to absorb, without damage, considerable insertion force applied to the stake when the ground is dry, hard, or when the end of the stake has not been properly sharpened. Metal posts used for this type of display sign assembly often are fabricated of steel or aluminum members. In general, metal posts having U-shaped and T-shaped cross-sections are used to support one-sided display signs. Metal posts having a square cross-section may be used for securing two display signs mounted on opposite sides of the post.
Because of their generally rugged construction and considerable weight, the above-described display sign assemblies are cumbersome to transport from one installation site to the next and require considerable labor to install at the new site. Furthermore, the combined costs of manufacturing and materials for the aforementioned display signs generally prohibit a one-time use, thereby requiring retrieval and storage of the display sign when not in use, resulting in additional labor for disassembly and subsequent reassembly, and storage expenses.
Another problem with prior art display sign assemblies is the popular use of styrene plastic for the display sign panel. While styrene plastic provides good display characteristics, aging and weathering causes this material to become embrittled with greater susceptibility to breakage when impacted. Accordingly, display sign panels fabricated from styrene plastic must be replaced on a regular basis, resulting in yet additional material and labor expenses.
Typically, display sign assemblies, and especially those used to warn potential intruders that a residence is protected by a security system or to post real estate notices, are posted on residential lawns and other areas frequented by children, maintenance and utility workers, and other pedestrian traffic. Many of the prior art display sign assemblies include numerous sharp corners and ragged edges on the sign panels and in exposed locations about the upper end portions and periphery of the metal post or wooden stake to which the sign panel is affixed. Should a child run or fall against these sharp corners and ragged edges, serious injury to the child can result. This situation may be exacerbated in the case of styrene plastic panels which may have become embrittled, causing the panel to shatter into numerous sharp-edged fragments upon impact. To avoid possible injury to children and other individuals, such display sign assemblies are often posted near mail box posts, landscaping shrubbery or other out-of-the-way locations. However, this solution sometimes defeats the primary purpose of the sign which is intended to be located in the most visible place possible. In addition, the prior art security system and real estate signs are sometimes difficult to remove and replace for normal lawn maintenance, such as mowing and the like. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a display sign that is inexpensive to manufacture, easy to install, remove and replace, and is sufficiently resilient so as not to pose any safety hazard to children and others passing nearby, yet has the sturdy appearance of the prior art display signs described above.